Toy automobile



Oct. 18, 1927.

E. Rosi-:NBAUM TOY AUTOMOBILE Filed oct. 2. 192s Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

FRITZ ROSENBAUM, 0F NUREMIBERG, GERMANY.

TOY AUTOMOBILE.

Application led October 2, 1926, 'Serial No. 139,131, and iny Germany March 1, 1926.

This invention relates to small toy automobiles of that character driven by aspring motor of clockwork type, and one object of` the invention is to provide a driving means which, in addition to propelling the toy vehicle, alsoA operates to impart motion to parts of a dummy motor madein simulation of the usual hood-enclosed driving motor, which parts in turn act as a governor for the spring motor.

Another object of the invention is to provide. mechanism of the character described which simulates the working action 'of the drive mechanism of an ordinary automobile, and thereby affords to the child using the toy both amusement and instruction.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to: the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, of a toy automobile embodying my invention, with one cover section `of the hood thrown open to expose the dummy motor.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through the forward portion of the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical section through one side of the vehicle.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section through the spring motor and associated parts of the vehicle.

Figures 6 and 7 are views of the clutch or coupling in different positions.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the body of the toy automobile which is provided with a hood 2 and is mounted on a chassis frame 3 carrying front and rear axles 4 and 5. Mounted on the axle 4 are the front wheels 6, and fixed to the rear axle 5 to revolve therewith are the rear wheels 7.

Arranged upon the chassis frame 3 is a motor casing 8 carrying a spring motor 9 of clockwork type, and adapted tobe wound by a winding key 10. The gear train of this motor includes front and rear drive gears 11 and 12, the former meshing with a gear pinion 13 on a propeller shaft 14 and the lat-` ter with a gear PIIOH 15- on the rear axlel 5. The gears l2 and 15 are thus adapted to transmit driving motion to the shaft 5 and wheel 7 for propelling the vehicle. The shaft 5 vhas a limited back and forth movement in bearing openings 16 formed in the chassis, and pivotally connected with the shaft is a lever 17 having a. slotted lower end 18 engageable with a stop pin 19 on they chassis frame and having an upwardly extending arm 20.' This lever 17 is pivotally movable or oscillatablel on the shaft 5 to the extent limited bythe slot 18 and pin 19, for the purpose of adaptingthe shaft 5 to be moved forwardly and rearwardly in its bearing openingsfor adjustment of the pinion 15 into and out of engagement with the gear 12, so that the drive shaft rmay be thrown into or out of gear with the motor. The arm 20 of lever 17 is coupled by a connecting rod 21 to the lower end of a shifting lever 22 pivotally mounted at one side of the vehicle and movable in a guide 23, so that by shifting this lever 22 forwardly or rearwardly, in which `positions it will be maintained by frictional engagement of the lever with the guide 23, the lever 17 may be operated to throw pinion 15 into or out of mesh with the gear 12, to communicate driving motion to the vehicle or not as desired.

Suitablymounted in the hood 2 is a cylindrical block 24 formed to simulate the appearance of the body of an ordinary automobile engine. Mountedto reciprocate in this block 24 are a plurality of elements 25 icoupled to cranks 26 on a crank shaft 27. This shaft is provided at its rear end with an angularly bent portion 28 arranged to be engaged by a similarly formed portion 29 on the forward end of the propeller shaft 14, said angularly bent ends 28 and 29 of the two shafts forming -a clutch or coupling whereby motion is transmitted from the propeller shaft to the crank shaft.y This construction adapts the propeller shaft to be assembled as a part of the spring motor unit and the crank shaft to be assembled as a part of the dummy motor unit 24 in the hood, and their working assemblage in an easy and convenient manner upon the vehicle. The parts 28 and 29 are also adapted to give to the child playing with the toy the idea of a Working connection between a crank sha-ft and a propeller shaft. The parts 25 serve as a reciprocator tosimulate the working action of the pistons or valves of an-internal combustion motor, so that in theoperation of the toy the child will be afforded both amusement and instruction. The parts 25 and 27 also serve a further function, that is to say, as a governor which opposes a resistance to the action of the spring motor of a suliicient degree to prevent the motor, when tightly wound or out of gear with the rear axle, from racing, so that whether the gears l2 and 15 are in mesh or out of mesh a high degree of uniformity of motion of the gears of the spring motor will be maintained. When the gears 12 and 13 are out of mesh the shaft 27 will, of course, be driven and will communicate motion to the parts 25, giving the eii'ect of the working action of an idling motor. A fan 30 may be provided upon the forwardend of the sh'aft 27 to simulate thc appearance and working action of the` Cooling fan of an internal combustion motor.

The invention provides a toy automobile which may be inexpensively manufactured and sold, which is adapted to be driven by its own power, and which will aiford both amusement and instruction to the child operating it.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. In a toy automobile, a body having front and rear wheels, a spring motor for transmitting driving motion to the rear wheels, means for throwing said motor into and out of connection with the rear wheels, an imitation motor at the front of the vehicle including reciprocating parts, and a shaft driven by the spring motor for reciprocating said parts, said shaft and reciprocating parts constituting a governor regulating the driving motion of the spring niotor.

2. A toy automobile having, in combination, a body provided with a hood, al cylinder-block arranged in the hood and simulating in its outlines a driving motor, a plurality of visible elements representing working parts of the motor mounted to reciprocate iu said cylinder-block, a crank shaft having a plurality of cranks to which said reciprocating elements are coupled, a spring motor, and a power shaft driven by the spring motor and operatively coupled to said crank shaft for communicating motion thereto and to said reciprocating working parts, said Working parts serving to impose a resistance to the action'of and forming a governor for regulating the speed of the spring motor.

3. A toy automobile comprising, in combination, a body having a hood, a cylinderbock, imitating in its outlines a driving motor, arranged in the hood, a plurality of reciprocating elements mounted in said cylinder-block, a crank shaft having cranks to which said elements are attached, a spring motor, a propeller shaft driven by said motor and coupled to said crank shaft for transmitting motion to said reciprocating elcments whereby the latter serve as a governor for regulating the speed of the spring motor, and a .fan on said crank shaft and simulating the cooling fan of a motor.

In testimony Whereofl aiiix my signature.

FRITZ ROSENBAUM. 

